What Can I Do?

Every year I take my kids to the state fair. Since I am not a big crowd person, I always try to go early or on a day that is not busy. The boys totally wear me out. That is how I feel about politics and trying to influence it, a little person in a big crowd. I’ve felt that I can’t do anything to influence our nation. But God has begun to show me that there is something I can do.

There are stories in the Bible about God’s people working alongside kings and rulers, even evil ones. They influenced circumstances and were used by God. Daniel served as an adviser for Nebuchadnezzar, Belshazzar, and Darius in the Babylonian and Persian empires. All three kings were power-hungry, narcissistic men. Belshazzar had a drunken party with the holy utensils from the temple in Jerusalem.

Esther was married to Artaxerxes, who paraded his previous wife, Vashti, before his drunken friends. Girls were taken from among the populace to be part of his harem and boys were taken to be eunuchs. He wasn’t much of a supporter of individual rights. History also notes that these rulers from Persia were known to make laws during drunken parties. There wasn’t representation of the people.

Joseph served Pharaoh who got advice from possessed sorcerers. He had the power to sentence men like the royal baker to death without a just trial by his peers. The people under him did not have any fair system of justice.

What can we learn from Daniel, Esther, and Joseph about politics? What can we do? Most of us are just little people in a big crowd. We are not advisers to rulers or spouses to kings. We don’t sit in the dinner halls of presidents. But we can do the things that they did. The Bible notes that Daniel and Esther prayed and fasted.

Do we use our voice to talk to God as much as we use it to talk to others? Do we use our voice to petition our government leaders? Daniel, Esther, and Joseph petitioned their rulers. Daniel asked to be allowed to follow God’s commands over the king’s. Esther petitioned for the life of her people. Joseph presented a plan to save Egypt from the famine. We can petition our leaders also. And, we can do it without risking our lives. Even though I feel intimidated, I’ve taken my boys up to Santa Fe and spoken with my Representatives in person.

Daniel, Esther, and Joseph proclaimed the truth. Daniel proclaimed who the true king was and confronted the kings about sin. Esther exposed the truth about Haman, the king’s closest adviser. Joseph proclaimed the truth to Pharaoh about his dream. We can proclaim truth to anyone we are in contact with.

God has shown me other things I could do. I can provide for those who defend freedom, God-given rights, and godly ideas. There are Christian political organizations that need support. They work on the front-lines. Organizations exist that fight for the rights of unborn babies, freedom of speech on college campuses where Biblical ideas are attacked, parental rights, and freedom of speech for churches.

Yes, God is sovereign and we should not worry, but God also uses His people. His sovereignty is not a reason to not act. I want to be a part of God’s setting up kingdoms and kings and work with the evil and lost people in my world, even the political world, because, “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.” Edmund Burke.